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Thomas Hart Benton Opening and Talk

WHO: The Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum and the State Historical Society of Missouri

WHAT: An exhibit of Thomas Hart Benton sketches that depict three of Twain’s books

WHEN: Sunday, July 29, 2 p.m. (Exhibit on loan from SHSM July 29 through Sept. 6)

WHERE: Museum Gallery, 120 N. Main St. Hannibal, Missouri

Join us for an opening ceremony and talk 2 p.m. July 29 in the Museum Gallery auditorium with Joan Stack, curator of art collections for the SHSM. Stack will discuss Benton’s challenges in illustrating The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Life on the Mississippi.

The river towns of the Mississippi, including Hannibal Missouri are featured in a new book about travels on the Mississippi River.

In “Down the Mississippi: A Modern-day Huck on America’s River Road,” CNN iReporter Neal Moore traveled the Mississippi River by canoe and collected positive stories along the way.

Community members can learn more about “Down the Mississippi” and Moore’s experiences in Hannibal during the upcoming book talk at 2 p.m. July 28 at the Mark Twain Museum.

Moore highlights Hannibal in a chapter titled, “The Renaissance of America’s Hometown” and features several community members he met during his stay in 2009, including Fresh Ayers owner Steve Ayers, Dubach Inn owners Kristine and Steve Russell, Bob Yapp of Preservation Resources, Inc. and Alex Addison and Paige Cummins, the official Tom and Becky at that time.

After meeting Mark Twain Museum executive director Cindy Lovell, the two partnered on the book, Lovell focusing on integrating Twain’s voice throughout the narrative and Moore sharing the experiences of his journey.

“When Neal arrived in Hannibal by canoe we were immediately taken with his story,” Lovell said. “The idea of traveling the river in search of positive stories resonated with us, and he instantly became an honorary Hannibalian.”

During the book talk, Moore will share some of the river stories he gathered, and the two will discuss their collaboration on the project, which includes 14 additional chapters about other stops Moore made along the river including a visit to “The Farm” at Angola, La., the nation’s largest maximum security prison.

Moore, a self-described citizen journalist and creative activist, was inspired to make the journey in the spirit of the late Dan Eldon, a photojournalist killed in Mogadishu. Kathy Eldon, Dan’s mother, wrote the preface for the book. James Peipert, a retired journalist, editor and foreign correspondent for the Associated Press, wrote the introduction.

“I’m so looking forward to a good, healthy dose of Americana, to stepping back into Hannibal and for the chance of a lifetime to present ‘Down the Mississippi’ at the Mark Twain Museum,” Moore said.

Book talk guests can purchase a copy of the book and have it signed. The talk is free and open to the public. For reservations, call 573-221-9010, ext. 401.